Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Play and games for 0-year-old babies: Fun developmental and educational activities

9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

Just looking at tiny, adorable babies makes you feel happy, doesn’t it?

We tend to think that newborns spend most of their time sleeping, but it’s also a period of remarkable growth.

Interacting closely and playing together with familiar people provides babies with plenty of stimulation and has very positive effects on their physical and mental development, as well as on attachment formation.

Let’s actively incorporate lots of play not only at daycare but at home, too.

In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of activities you can enjoy together with your baby.

From bonding games and sensory play to activities using educational toys, a wide variety of play ideas are gathered here!

Find the perfect activities that match your baby’s age in months and developmental stage.

[Childcare] Play and games for 0-year-old babies: fun developmental and educational activities (1–10)

Interactive Play: Riding the Bus

Easy at Home! Parent-Child Game: “Riding the Bus”

Interactive Play: Riding the Bus

This is recommended for babies whose necks are stable.

With a parent firmly supporting their back or sitting them on your lap, sway or bounce together to the song.

From small, quick movements to big twisting motions, there are plenty of fun moments waiting for your baby.

It’s great that parent and child are always in physical contact.

It’s a perfect chance to deepen your bond even more.

Be careful not to move too vigorously, as it could lead to injury!

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Sticker play

Sticker play for 0-year-olds: fun sticking and peeling

Sticker play

Let’s try a sticker activity that kids love! You might think stickers are too early for a 0-year-old, but they’ll likely show interest.

Small stickers or complex shapes are hard for little fingers to hold and stick, so gather large, bold, colorful stickers to play with.

Since they probably can’t peel them off the backing by themselves, peel them first and hand them over.

If you use the inside surface of a milk carton as the base, the stickers can be stuck on and peeled off again, making a reusable sheet they can enjoy over and over.

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Hand game ‘Ton ton ton ton Anpanman’

[Hand Play Song] Ton ton ton ton Anpanman [Koaru Biyori]

Hand game 'Ton ton ton ton Anpanman'

A path that almost all children go through—could it be Anpanman? Before you know it, even very young kids are captivated by Anpanman.

This hand-play song, “Ton ton ton ton Anpanman,” is an arrangement of “Ton ton ton ton Hige Jiisan” using Anpanman characters.

Main characters like Anpanman, Shokupanman, and Currypanman make an appearance.

Above all, it’s easy to understand, with very simple choreography, making it a highly recommended hand-play song.

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colored water play

Playtime for very young children! Colored water play – 0-year-old class [Age 0] | Torikaihigashi Yuuiku-en [Daycare/Kindergarten Event]

colored water play

Let’s try ‘colored water play,’ an activity that delights both sight and touch with vibrant colored water! Put water tinted with food coloring or paint into a sturdy zipper bag, or fill a plastic bottle with water, dab some paint on the inside of the cap, and shake the bottle to instantly make colored water.

The water in the bag has a fun, squishy feel, and adding sequins or beads makes it sparkle—kids will love it.

Since little hands might touch the colored water, it may be better to use food coloring rather than paint just in case.

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Interactive play “The Rag Song”

Baby-mo April 2011 issue Hand-play song “Zoukin no Uta (The Cleaning Rag Song)” [Shufunotomo Co., Ltd.]

Interactive play “The Rag Song”

A playful bonding activity for parents and babies called “The Rag Song” treats the baby like a little cleaning rag.

The song describes each step—from stitching the rag, to washing it with water, wringing it out, and finally cleaning with it.

As each verse plays, you move your hands over the baby’s body to match the actions.

For the stitching part, gently poke with both index fingers as if sewing with a needle.

For wringing, lightly twist the baby’s legs as though wringing out a rag.

Between each movement, stroke broadly from the baby’s chest down to their tummy.

Because you move the legs and give soothing strokes, it also serves as a good massage for the baby!

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